Wire holding attachment for wire cutter



Aug. 1, 1967 ug-rm, R ET AL 3,333,337

WIRE HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR WIRE CUTTER Filed Feb. 1, 1966 Lea E flusfinJr. Melvin 6. Komha/s v James K. Harper INVENTORS.

United States Patent 3,333,337 WIRE HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR WIRE CUTTERLeo F. Austin, Jr., and Melvin G. Korthals, Artesia,

N. Mex., and James K. Harper, Centralia, Mo., assignors to A. B. ChanceCompany, Centralia, Mo., 21 corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 1, 1966,Ser. No. 524,334 8 Claims. (Cl. 30-134) This invention relates to a wireholder attachment for use with wire cutters of the type presentlyemployed by linemen to cut jumper wires, live conductors, tie wires andthe like which comprise components of a high voltage power transmissionsystem.

A lever type wire cutter enables a lineman to reach overhead wires and,since the extension formed by the pole of the cutter forms a longleakage path, also serves to isolate the lineman from live lines.However, such cutters have no provision for holding the cut ends of thewire after the severing operation, thereby allowing loose wires to fallor snap away from the cutter and possibly create an electrical hazard.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide awire-holding device that may be attached to a conventional lever typewire cutter for the purpose of gripping one of the cut ends of the wireto allow the lineman to control the disposition thereof after thecutting operation is effected.

As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is an important aim of theinvention to provide such an attachment wherein a pair of wire-receivingjaws are employed and are operated by the lever arm of the cutter whichactuates the cutterhead, and to provide a resilient linkage between thejaws and the arm for effecting closure of the jaws against the wire inresponse to movement of the arm but prior to severing of the wire by thecutterhead, and which is operable to permit continued movement of thearm to sever the wire while maintaining clamping pressure thereagainst.

A further object is to provide an attachment as aforesaid that may bereadily mounted on a lever type wire cutter in the shop or in the field,and wherein the jaws of the wire holder are provided with shiftable wiregrippers that enable the jaws to accommodate a range of wire sizes.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the wire holder mounted on alever type wire cutter, both the holder jaws and the cutter blades beingillustrated in their normal positions;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 but showing thevarious components of the holder and the cutter in actuated positions;and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the attachment itself as illustrated inFIG. 1, showing the side opposite that viewed in FIG. 1.

The normally uppermost end of a conventional lever type wire cutter isshown in FIGS. 1-3, the cutter comprising an insulated pole providedwith a base member at its upper extremity in the form of a ferrule 12having a side book 13. An operating rod 14 is provided with a ferrule 16at its upper end receiving a hinge pin 18 pivotally connecting rod 14 toone end of a lever arm 20. The opposite end of arm 20 is pivotallyattached to ferrule 12 by a pin 22 extending between a pair of laterallyprojecting ears 24 (only one of the cars 24 is visible in the figures).The lower end of rod 14 is connected to a handle (not shown) which ispivotally mounted on the lower portion of pole 10. The handle serves as3,333,337 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 a manually operated lever which swingslever arm 20 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown inFIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 and, by virtue of theaction of lever arm 20, effects operation of a cutterhead 26 mounted onferrule 12.

Cutterhead 26 comprises a pair of elongated, flat cutter elements 28 and29 interconnected by a pair of links formed by a pair of generallyrectangular, aligned plates 30 disposed on opposite sides of elements 28and 29 and extending transversely thereof. A pair of bolts 32 and 34interconnect plates 30 and extend through elements 28 and 29respectively. Bolt 32 is sufiiciently loosely held by its associated nutto permit pivotal movement of element 28 about its shank, while bolt 34rigidly secures the plates to element 29. Element 28 is actuated bylever arm 20 through a link 36 (see particularly FIG. 3) pivotallyconnected to an extension of the inner end of arm 20 and to the lowerend of element 28. The upper end portions of elements 28 and 29 presentblades 38 and 40, respectively, presenting opposed cutting edges capableof receiving a wire 42 therebetween and severing the same, asillustrated in FIG. 3. The cutting action is achieved by swinging leverarm 20 in a counterclockwise direction (compare FIGS. 1 and 3) tothereby rotate element 28 in a clockwise direction about the shank ofbolt 32 to shift blade 38 toward blade 40. The lower end of the element29 is aflixed to ferrule 12, thereby maintaining blade 40 stationarywith respect to the ferrule and pole 10 during the cutting operation.

The wire holder comprises an elongated fixed jaw 44 and an elongatedmovable jaw 46 pivotally joined to the stationary jaw by a pivot screw48 received by an aperture in jaw 46 and threaded into a boss 50 on jaw44. The pivotal joint is disposed approximately midway between the endsof the jaws and permits movement of the normally uppermost end 52 of jaw46 toward and away from the upper end 54 of jaw 44. The central portion56 of jaw 44 is generally triangular in configuration as viewed in FIGS.1, 3 and 4, boss 48 being disposed at the apex of the triangular portion56 remote from the main body section of the jaw. Similarly, jaw 46 isprovided with a triangular section 58 (FIG. 4) which extends intooverlapping relationship to portion 56, both section 58 and portion 56being of reduced thickness so that the main body portions of the jawsare coplanar (FIG. 2). Additionally, the triangular shapes of portion 56and section 58 provide the requisite clearance necessary to permitshifting of the movable jaw 46.

Ends 52 and 54 of the jaws are provided with serrated grippers 60 and 62respectively which are mounted thereon by pivot pins 64 and 66. The axesof pins 64 and 66 extend parallel to the axis of pivot screw 48 and,therefore, transversely of the jaws. Each gripper comprises a pad orplate having a planar, serrated face, and is provided with a pair ofcars 68 extending from the pad and receiving the respective pin 64 or66. Note that the marginal extremities of end portions 52 and 54 limitthe movement of respective grippers in one direction, while movement inthe opposite direction is limited by contact Zones 70 of the jaws whichare engaged by the grippers at the point of maximum inward movementthereof.

J aw 44 has an L-shaped lower end 72 which threadably receives a pivotbolt 74 having a torsion spring 76 coiled about the shank thereofbetween jaw 44 and the bolthead. Spring 76 has a pair of divergent legs78 and 80, leg 78 being a rectilinear, resilient component having anouter end 82 looped about arm 26 to thereby interconnect the spring withthe arm. Leg has an arcuate lower stretch 84 which merges with anarcuate upper stretch 86, the two stretches being disposed to form aslot therebetween and presenting opposed, lower and upper cam surfacesengageable with a cam follower 88 projecting laterally from the lowerend of jaw 46. Follower 88, as shown, may take the form of a machinescrew threadably received by jaw 46 and provided with a rotatable sleevetelescoped over its shank and received by the cam stretches 84 and 86.

The wire holder is attached to cutterhead 26 by a pair of bolts 90 and92 which extend through holes 94 and 96 respectively (FIG. 4) in jaw 44.The threaded ends of bolts 90 and 92 are received by openings in cutterelement 29 and are provided with nuts 98 and 100. Bolts 90 and 92replace the bolts normally utilized to secure element 29 to base member102, which is integral with ferrule 12 and extends thereform asillustrated to form a support for element 29. Therefore, by simplyremoving the bolts normally utilized to secure element 29 to member 102and substituting bolts 90 and 92 of the holder assembly, the holder isrigidly secured to the cutter without the necessity of boring additionalholes in cutterhead 26 or base member 102. Thus, the conventional Wirecutter may be modified to form the combination cutter-holder in the shopor field by simply discarding the existing mounting bolts for element 29and securing the holder assembly in place by bolts 90 and 92.

As indicated hereinabove, cutterhead 26 operates in the normal mannerwhen rod 14 is shifted downwardly to swing lever arm 30 about pin 22.With the wire holder attached and leg component 78 coupled with arm byloop 82, it will be appreciated that swinging of arm 20 from theposition shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3 causes rotationof the torsion spring 76 about bolt 74 to place cam stretch 84 inforcible engagement with follower 88. Thus, the movable jaw 46 is causedto pivot about screw 48 to shift its gripper 60 toward gripper 62,thereby engaging the self-aligning grippers with opposite sides of wire42. It may be noted that, when the tool is placed in its operativeposition by the lineman and wire 42 is received by blades 38 and 40,grippers 60 and 62 are disposed such that wire 42 also passestherebetween without further manipulation of the tool.

Since only a relatively small movement of jaw 46 will cause clampingpressure to be applied to wire 42, while a substantially greaterdisplacement of element 28 is necessary to effect severing of the wire,it will be appreciated that the wire is firmly gripped by the holderjaws prior to actual severing thereof by the cutterhead. During initialmovement of lever arm 20, grippers 60 and 62 clamp the wire, whereuponcontinued movement of arm 20 to complete the cutting stroke shifts blade38 into sufiiciently closely spaced relationship to blade 40 to severthe wire. Although grippers 60 and 62 are clamped against wire 42 andjaw 46 can no longer pivot, this additional movement of arm 20 ispermitted by the flexure of leg component 78. As component 78 flexes,spring 76 maintains cam stretch 84 in forcible engagement with follower88 to, in turn, maintain clamping pressure against wire 42. Thus, whenthe wire is severed, grippers 60' and 62 will hold one of the cut endsthereof and permit the lineman to control the position of the cut wireafter the severing operation. Lever arm 20 may be partially returned toits normal position after the wire is out without danger of releasingthe hold of grippers 60 and 62 on wire 42, since spring 76 maintainsclamping pressure on the wire until blades 38 and 40 are returned, ornearly returned, to their normal open positions. During return movementof arm 20, cam stretch 86 engages follower 88 to effect reopening of theclamping jaws as arm 20 approaches the upper limit of its movement andassumes its normal position illustrated in FIG. 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a lever type wire cutter having a cutterheadprovided with a pair of relatively shiftable, normally spaced-apartblades for receiving a wire therebetween, and a swingable lever armcoupled with one of said blades for shifting the latter toward the otherof said blades to cut said wire, a wire holder comprising:

a pair of relatively shiftable, normally open jaws mounted on saidcutterhead and having wire-engaging means disposed to receive said wirewhen the latter is received by said blades;

means interconnecting said arm and one of said jaws for shifting thelatter toward a closed position with respect to the other of said jawsin response to initial movement of said arm in a direction to shift saidone blade toward said other blade, whereby to clamp the received wirebetween the jaws,

said jaw-closing means having a resilient component for maintainingclosing pressure on said jaws while permitting continued movement ofsaid arm in said direction to sever the wire whereby, after the wire issevered, one of the cut ends thereof remains clamped between said jawsand is held thereby; and

means mounting said jaw-closing means for pivotal movement with saidarm,

said component being engageable by said arm during movement of the armin said direction,

said jaw-closing means including a cam engageable with said one jaw foreffecting said shifting thereof toward said closed position upon saidengagement of the component by said arm.

2. In combination with a lever type wire cutter having a cutterheadprovided with a pair of relatively shiftable, normally spaced-apartblades for receiving a wire therebetween, and a swingable lever armcoupled with one of said blades for shifting the latter toward the otherof said blades to out said wire, a wire holder comprising:

a pair of elongated, relatively shiftable, normally open jaws mounted onsaid cutterhead and having a pivotal joint interconnecting the jawsintermediate the ends thereof, one pair of proximal ends of said jawsbeing provided with wire-engaging means disposed to receive said wirewhen the latter is received by said blades; and

means interconnecting said arm and one of said jaws for shifting thelatter toward a closed position with respect to the other of said jawsin response to initial movement of said arm in a direction to shift saidone blade toward said other blade, whereby to clamp the received wirebetween the jaws,

said other jaw being rigidly coupled with said other blade,

said jaw-closing means including an actuating member engageable withsaid one jaw adjacent the end thereof opposite said wire-engaging meansand mounted on said other jaw for pivotal movement with said arm, andsaid actuating member including a resilient component for maintainingclosing pressure on saidjaws while permitting continued movement of saidarm in said direction to sever the wire whereby, after the wire issevered, one of the cut ends thereof remains clamped between said jawsand is held thereby, said component being engageable by said arm toshift said actuating member during movement of the arm in saiddirection.

3. The invention of claim 2,

said member including a cam,

said opposite end of said one jaw having a follower projecting laterallytherefrom and engageable by said cam.

4. The invention of claim 2,

said wire-engaging means comprising a pair of opposed,

serrated grippers carried by respective jaws for pivotal movement aboutaxes extending transversely ofsaid jaws,

each jaw having stop means disposed to limit movement of the associatedgripper in either direction of movement thereof.

5. A wire holder attachment for a lever type wire cutter having acutterhead for receiving a wire to be severed, and a swingable lever armfor operating said cutterhead to effect severing of the wire, saidattachment comprising:

a pair of elongated, relatively shiftable, normally open jaws having apivotal joint interconnecting the jaws intermediate the ends thereof,and being provided with wire-engaging means at one pair of proximal endsof said jaws;

a jaw actuator for shifting one of said jaws toward a closed positionwith respect to the other of said jaws;

means mounting said actuator on said other jaw adjacent the end thereofopposite said wire-engaging means, for pivotal movement of the actuatorabout an axis extending transversely of said jaws,

said actuator including a cam element and an operating element forshifting the cam element about said axis,

one of said elements being resilient,

said one jaw being provided with a follower projecting laterally fromthe end thereof opposite said wire-engaging means and disposed forengagement by said cam element to effect said shifting of the one jawtoward said closed position in response to said engagement; and

means for rigidly securing said other jaw to said cutterhead with saidwire-engaging means disposed to receive the wire when the latter isreceived by the cutterhead, and with said operating element positionedfor engagement by said arm during shifting of the latter to cut thewire, whereby the jaws are closed against the wire under a clampingpressure maintained by the actuator as the arm operates the cutterhead.

6. In combination with a lever type wire cutter having a cutterheadprovided with a pair of relatively shiftable, normally spaced-apartblades for receiving a wire therebetween, and a swingable lever armcoupled with one of said blades for shifting the latter toward the otherof said blades to out said wire, a wire holder comprising:

a pair of elongated, relatively shiftable, normally open jaws mounted onsaid cutterhead andhaving a pivotal joint interconnecting the jawsintermediate the ends thereof, one pair of proximal ends of said jawsbeing provided with Wire-engaging means disposed to receive said wirewhen the latter is received by said blades; and

means interconnecting said arm and one of said jaws for shifting thelatter toward a closed position with respect to the other of said jawsin response to initial movement of said arm in a direction to shift saidone blade toward said other blade, whereby to clamp the received wirebetween the jaws,

said other jaw being rigidly coupled with said other blade,

said jaw-closing means including a spring mounted on said other jawadjacent the end thereof opposite said wire-engaging means for rockingmovement about an axis extending transversely of said jaws, and having apair of divergent legs extending away from said axis,

one of said legs being coupled with said arm to shift the springtherewith during movement of the arm and to maintain closing pressure onsaid jaws while permitting continued movement of said arm in saiddirection to sever the wire whereby, after the wire is severed, one ofthe cut ends thereof remains clamped between said jaws and is heldthereby,

the other of said legs being configured to present a cam,

the end of said one jaw opposite said wire-engaging means having afollower projecting laterally therefrom and engageable by said cam asthe latter rocks about said axis, whereby to move said one jaw towardand away, respectively, from said closed position said said arm is firstshifted in said direction and then shifted in the opposite direction.

7. A wire cutting and holding device comprising:

an elongated, hand-held pole structure;

a cutterhead mounted on one end of said structure and provided with apair of relatively shiftable, normally spaced-apart blades for receivinga wire therebetween;

a swingable lever arm mounted on said end and coupled with one of saidblades;

an elongated operating member connected to said arm and extendinggenerally toward the opposite end of said structure for swinging the armin a direction to shift said one blade toward the other of said bladesto cut the wire;

a pair of relatively shiftable, normally open jaws mounted on saidcutterhead and having wire-engaging means disposed to receive said wirewhen the latter is received by said blades; and

means interconnecting said arm and one of said jaws for shifting thelatter toward a closed position with respect to the other of said jawsin response to initial movement of said arm in said direction, wherebyto clamp the received wire between the jaws,

said jaw-closing means having a resilient component for maintainingclosing pressure on said jaws while permitting continued movement ofsaid arm in said direction to sever the wire whereby, after the wire issevered, one of the cut ends thereof remains clamped between said jawsand is held thereby.

8. The invention of claim 7; and

means mounting said jaw-closing means for engagement by said arm duringmovement of the arm in said direction, and for pivotal movement of thejawclosing means with said arm upon said engagement thereby.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 608,807 8/1898 Tilden 56--133 X681,972 9/1901 Postlethwait 30-134 913,290 2/1909 Higley 30-4352,645,848 7/1953 Runde 30-188 X WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. G.WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A LEVER TYPE WIRE CUTTING HAVING A CUTTERHEADPROVIDED WITH A PAIR OF RELATIVELY SHIFTABLE, NORMALLY SPACED-APARTBLADES FOR RECEIVING A WIRE THEREBETWEEN, AND A SWINGABLE LEVER ARMCOUPLED WITH ONE OF SAID BLADES FOR SHIFTING THE LATTER TOWARD THE OTHEROF SAID BLADES TO CUT SAID WIRE, A WIRE HOLDER COMPRISING: A PAIR OFRELATIVELY SHIFTABLE, NORMALLY OPEN JAWS MOUNTED ON SAID CUTTERHEAD ANDHAVING WIRE-ENGAGING MEANS DISPOSED TO RECEIVE SAID WIRE WHEN THE LATTERIS RECEIVED BY SAID BLADES; MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID ARM AND ONE OFSAID JAWS FOR SHIFTING THE LATTER TOWARD A CLOSED POSITION WITH RESPECTTO THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS IN RESPONSE TO INITIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM INA DIRECTION TO SHIFT SAID ONE BLADE TOWARD SAID OTHER BLADE, WHEREBY TOCLAMP THE RECEIVED WIRE BETWEEN THE JAWS, SAID JAW-CLOSING MEANS HAVINGA RESILIENT COMPONENT FOR MAINTAINING CLOSING PRESSURE ON SAID JAWSWHILE PERMITTING CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM IN SAID DIRECTION TOSEVER THE WIRE WHEREBY, AFTER THE WIRE IS SEVERED, ONE OF THE CUT ENDSTHEREOF REMAINS CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID JAWS AND IS HELD THEREBY; AND MEANSMOUNTING SAID JAW-CLOSING MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT WITH SAID ARM, SAIDCOMPONENT BEING ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ARM DURING MOVEMENT OF THE ARM INSAID DIRECTION, SAID JAW-CLOSING MEANS INCLUDING A CAM ENGAGEABLE WITHSAID JAW FOR EFFECTING SAID SHIFTING THEREOF TOWARD SAID CLOSED POSITIONUPON SAID ENGAGEMENT OF THE COMPONENT BY SAID ARM.